Strip-perforating machine



1 k. s. HOWELL 1,782,570

STRIP PEiaFoRATma mcrmm Filed July 6. 1927 4 Shuts-Sheet 1 4Sheets-Sheet V 2 A. s. HOWELL.

STRIP PERFORATING MACHINE Fiied=Ju1y 6, 1927 Nov. 25', 1930.

Jizdeniov Nov. 25, 1930.

A. s'. HOWELL STRIP PERFORATING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1927 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Mays.

NOV. 25 1930. 5 HOWELL 1,782,570

STRI P PERFORATING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 713001107 Kim/ 2' ggca/ell '5 9 6/ Q Zarvzeyat machine with Patented Nov.25, 1930 'UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE ALBERT s. HOWELL, or CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, nssreivon TO THE BELL & HOWELL com- PANY, or CHICAGO,ILLnvoIs, A CORPORATION or ILL noIs STRIP-PERFORATING MACHINEApplication filed July 6, 192'). Serial Nb. 203,789.

My invention relates particularly to machines for perforating motionpicture film although not limited to this use alone.

My invention has for its main object the provision of a stripperforating machine which perforates simultaneously a plurality ofstrips in a convenient and efficient manner all with a view towardeconomy and high production.

With this object in view my invention consists in certain features ofnovelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts bywhich the said object and certain other objects, hereinafter appearing,are effected, all as fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the said drawings V Figure 1 is a partial front elevation of a motionpicture film perforating machine e1n- ,bodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of a portion of the machine withparts broken y; d t

Figure 3 is a partial top plan view of the parts removed, broken awayand in section;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of'the machine with partsremoved, broken away and in section;

Figure 5 is a top plan View of the perforating die of the machine;

Figure 6 1s a'partlal section on the line .6-6 of Figure 3; I I

Figure 7 is a partial section on the line 7-7 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Figure 7 withparts removed, broken away and in section;

Figure 9 is a vertically condensed section on the line 9-9 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Figure 1.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts-in the several views. p

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a main frame and mounted on thelower forward portion of this frame is a horizontal laterally extendingbed 2 adapted for accurately guiding a double width motion film strip 3for longitudinal movement. See Figure 1. The frame -1 extends upwardlyat the rear of the'bed 2 and then extends forwardly and overlies the bedintermediate the ends thereof. A ram 4 is mounted for vertical slidingmovement above the bed 2 on sald overlying portion of the frame 1. Aprimary shaft 5 is rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the frame 1on a forwardly and rearwardly extending axis, and this shaft isconnected for reciprocating the ram by means of an eccentric andconnecting rod device 6.

The bed 2 is intermediately interrupted below the ram 4, and releasablysecured to the frame 1 between the two portions of the bed 2 andunderlying the ram is an upwardly facing die 7 having its upper die faceengageable with the lower face of the film stripS on'said bed. SeeFigures 1, 2, 4, and 5. A

' downwardly facing pilot and punch structure 8 is secured on the lowerend of the ram 4 and is provided with a plurality of punch pins 9 alinedwith corresponding perforations 11 of the die 7 for perforating the filmwith downward movement .of the ram and a plurality of pilot pins 12alined with corresponding perforations 13 of ,the die forengagingperforations previously made in the film strip by the punch pins 9 toregister accurately the film strip during perforation thereof. The punchpins 9 and pilot pinsv 12 and the perforations 11 and 13 are arrangedfor simultaneouslyperforating the two longitudinal sections of thedouble width film strip 3, these punch and pilot pins and perforationsbeing arranged in rows of fourtransversely of the film strip to providemarginal perforations at each side of the two longitudinal sections ofthe double width film strip. See Figures 2 and 5. Thus is providedperforating means for perforating simultaneously the severallongitudinal sections of the double width film strip 3 step by stepalong the s: me, and step by step feeding means engageable withperforations previously made in the strip by said perforatingmeans forfeeding the strip therethrough for progressive perforation along thestrip is provided and will now be described.

Pivotally mounted on the frame 1 to the rear of the bed 2 and disposedon a horizontal axis parallel with the bed 2 is a bell crank lever 14,one arm of which extends upwardly for operation by an axial cam 15 fixedwith the shaft 5 for oscillation of this lever with rotation of thisshaft, and the other arm of which extends forwardly underneath the bed 2and has a spindle 16 attached to its outer end and extending inparallelism with the bed 2. See Figures 1, 2 and 4. A lever 17 ispivotally mounted on the frame 1 to the rear of the bed 2 on ahorizontal axis normal to the bed 2 and has its upper end arranged foroscillation with rotation of the shaft 5 by a grooved radial cam 18fixed with this shaft. A toothed shuttle 19 is slidably mounted on thespindle 16, and the lower end of the lever 17 is connected toreciprocate the shuttle on the spindle 16 with oscillation of this leverby a suitable connection 21 which maintains the shuttle with the teeththereof facing upwardly for engagement with perforations of the filmstrip 3 on the bed 2 and which permits vertical movement of the shuttleeffected by oscillation of the lever 14. The arrangement is such that,when the shaft 5 is rotated, the shuttle is given a rectangular movementin a vertical plane whereby it is moved upwardly to engage the film,then horizontally to move the film strip, then downwardly to disengagethe film, and then horizontally in the direction opposite the firstmentioned horizontal movement thereof preparatory to re-engaging thefilm.

Another bell crank lever 22 is pivotally mounted on the frame 1 to therear of the bed 2 on a horizontal axis parallel with the bed 2, one armof which extends upwardly for operation by an axial cam 23 fixed withthe shaft 5 for oscillation of this lever with rotation of this shaft,and the other arm of which extends forwardly and is provided with aperforated stripper plate 24 above the die 7 and the film strip 3thereon and through k which the punch pins 9 and the pilot pins -12operate. The stripper plate 24 strips the film strip from the punch pins9 and the pilot pins 12,and the cam 23 effects vertical movement of thestripper plate into and out of position clamping the film strip on thedie I v 7 in timed relation with the movements of in axial alineinentand in parallelism with' the bed 2 are two hollow supports 25, andmounted at the outer ends of said supports in film feeding alinementwith the bed 2 is a rotatable flanged constant feed film roller 26 and arotatable constant feed film sprocket 27, the roller 26 being disposedoutwardly beyond the end of the bed 2 at which the film strip 3 entersthe bed and the sprocket 27 being disposed outwardly beyond the end ofthe bed from which the film strip leaves the bed. See Figures 1, 3, 9,and 10. Theroller 26 and the sprocket 27 are driven from the primaryshaft -5 in timed relation with the hereinbefore described step by stepfeeding mechanism by means of a spiral gear and shaft driving mechanismgenerally indicated at 28 which extends through the alined bores of thehereinbeforc' mentioned supports 25, and the roller 26 and the sprocket27 are provided with rotatablc retaining rollers 29 for retaining thefilm strip thereon for the driving thereof by said roller 26 andsprocket 27, these retaining rollers being mounted for release forlacing of the film strip in a suitable manner unnecessary to bedescribed. See Figure 1.

The supports 25 are provided at their outer ends with upwardly extendingarms 31 upon the upper ends of which are mounted film spools 32 disposedin film feeding alincment with the roller 26 and the sprocket 27. Thefilm strip 3 is drawn from the spool 32 adjacent the roller 26 to thisroller and then leads to the adjacent end of the bed 2 through acompensating loop. See Figure 1. The film strip 3 is fed from thesprocket 27 to the other. film spool 32 adjacent thereto, and this spoolis driven to wind the film strip thereon by means of a belt and pulleydriving device 33, the driving pulley of which is fixed on the rear endof a rotatable shaft 34 upon the front end of which the sprocket 27isfixed and which is driven by the hereinbefore described spiral gear andshaft driving device 28, the belt and pulley driving de vice slipping toaccommodate different d-ameters of the roll of film on this spool.

' The above described mechanism is fully described and claimed in U. S.Letters Patent No. 1,291,524, granted January 14, 1919, on applicationfiled by me for improvement in Apparatus for perforating cinematographicfilms, and requires no further description for the present purposes.

As the double width film strip 3 leaves the bed 2 both longitudinalsections thereof are perforated, and interposed between the constantfeed sprocket 27 and the intermittent feeding mechanism, hereinbeforedescribed, is a constant slitting device which slits the film strip 3into the two longitudinal sectlons thereof progressively along theperfo- .rated portion of the strip. as fed therethrough by the sprocket27, simultaneously with the perforation of the film strip. This slittingdevice will now be described. i

A support roller 35 is rotatably mounted,

Ill

in film feeding alignment with the bed 2 and sprocket 27, on theintermediate portion of the support 25 upon which the sprocket 27 ismounted. See Figures 1, 3, and 10. The roller is provided at its innerend with a circumferential flange 36 engageable with the inner edge ofthe li m strip 3 thereon. See Figure 10. The roller 35 is provided atits outer end w th a circumferential flange structure, consistlng asfollows. A circumferential flange member 37 is secured at the outer endof the roller 35 by means of headed screws 38 spaced about the rollerand passing through holes in the flange member 37 and screwthrcaded intothe roller. The portion of the roller 35 adjacent the flange member 37is reduced to a diameter inwardly of the screws 38, and an annularflange member 39 is disposed in the groove formed by this reducedportion and the flange member 37 and is provided with apertures throughwhich the screws 38 pass, the engagement of these apertures with thesescrews permitting movement of the flange member 39 axially of theroller. Coiled compression springs 40 encircle the screws 38 between theflange mem bers 37 and 39 and yieldably urge the flange member 39, whichprojects above the periphcry. of the roller to engage the outer edge ofthe film strip 3 on the roller, toward the flange 36 to closely confinethe film strip 3 axially of the roller for the slitting thereof ashereinafter described.

Pivotally mounted on the support member 25, upon which the roller 35 ismounted,

by means of a suitable bearing 41 disposed on an axis parallel to thatofthis roller is an arm 42 overlying this roller, and rotatably mountedon the intermediate portion of the arm 42 on an axis parallel to that ofthis roller is a slitting wheel 43. See Figures 1, 3, and 10. Theslitting wheel is movable with the arm 42 into and out of position forslitting the film strip 3 fed on the roller 35 between the flangesthereof, and the following means is provided for controlling themovement of this arm. Secured on the outer end of the arm 42 is avertical plate 44. Disposed below the plate 44 and screwthreaded througha bracket 45 secured on the adjacent support 25 is a vertically disposedstop screw 46 which is releasably secured in adusted position by asuitable clampscrew 47. See Figures 1, 3, 7, and 8. The plate 44 isadapted to engage downwardly upon the up per end of the adjustment screw46 to predeterminately position the arm 42 and the slitter wheel 43 withthe slitting wheel in slitting relation with the roller 35.

The bracket 45 extends upwardly to the rear of the outer end of the arm42, and intermediately pivoted upon the upper end of the bracket 45, ona horizontal axis. normal to the axis of the arm 42, by means of a stud48 is a lever 49. The front endof, the lever of the lever 49 toyieldably urge the arm 42 downwardly and to normally maintain the plate44 engaged downwardly upon the adjustment screw 46 with slitting wheel43 in slitting relation with the roller 35. Thus is provided adjustablemeans for predeterminately positioning the arm 42 with the slittingwheel in slitting relation with the roller 35, the spring device 51automatically accommodating for the adjustment of the stop screw 46 tomaintain an eifective engagement between the plate 44 and the stop screw46 and at the same time permitting movement of the arm 42 and slittingwheel 43 out of slitting relation with the roller 35.

Means is provided for the convenient manual manipulation of the arm 42and slitting wheel 43 out of slitting relation with the roller 35 andconsists as follows. See Figures 1, 3, 7, and 8. The support 25 carryingthe bracket 45 is provided with an arm providing a bored hub portion 52disposed in front of the plate 44 on a horizontal for- J ournaled in thebore of this hub portion 52 is a shaft 53 upon the inner end of which is9 'wardly and rearwardly extending axis. f

plate 44 and the arm 42 with angular movement of the shaft 53.1 Thecrank stud 54 is flattened as indicated in Figure 8 to accommodate foradjustment of the stop screw 46. A handle56 is secured on the forwardend of the shaft 53 for the convenient manipulation thereof.

In. order that the shaft 53 may be held in the positions it assumes whenthe arm 42 is at .the ends of its movement, the inner end thereof, whichis enlarged, is flattened at. diametrically opposite points, asdesignated at 57, and a spring plunger device 58 engages! against saidenlarged portion of the shaft 53 for engagement with said flattenedpor-' tions 57 for releasably maintaining the shaft 53 in said positionsthereof. See Figures 3, 7, and 8.

Pivotally mounted at an intermediate point thereon, on the supportmember 25, upon which the roller 35 is mounted, by means of a suitablebearing 61 disposed on an axis parallel to that of the roller 35 and thearm 42 and spaced below the bearing 41, is an arm 62. See Figures 1, 6,and 10. One portion of. the arm 62 underlies the roller} 35, androtatably mounted on the correspond lid roller 35, the roller 63effecting a wrap of the film strip 3 on the roller preceding theslitting of the strip to effect a relatively long engagement of the filmstrip between the flanges of the roller 35 and to prevent lateralcurving of the film.

lhe other portion of the arm 62 ext-ends upwardly from the bearing 61and is pr0- vided with an eccentric stud 64 which is mounted for angularadjustment in a split bore at the corresponding end of this arm, a clampscrew 65 being provided on this arm for releasably securing theeccentric stud 64 in adjusted position with respect to this arm. SeeFigures 1 and 6. The eccentric stud 64 engages for movement in a radialslot 66 formed in the outer end of an extension arm 67 fast with the arm42, so that the slitting wheel 43 and the roller 63 are moved togetherinto and out of functioning relation with the roller 35. It will beobserved that the slitting wheel 43 is predeterminately positioned inslitting relation with the roller 35 by an adjustable means, and thatarm 62 may be adjusted with respect to the arm 42 by the ad ustableconnection therebetween including the eccentric stud 64, so that afteradjustment of the stop screw 46 to properly position the slittin wheel43, the arm 62 may be adj ust-ed with respect to the arm 42 to properlyposition the roller 63, the movement of both a of the arms 42 and 62being conveniently controlled by a single means for the lacing of thefilm strip 3.

The perforated film as it leaves the discharge end of the bed 2 leads tothe rollers 35 and 63 in the form of a compensating loop. It then passesbetween therollers 35 and 63 and around the roller 35 to the slittingwheel 43 where it is slit. See Figure 1. From the slitting wheel androller 35 the perforated and slit film leads to the sprocket 27 which isa double sprocket and which draws the film through the slittling deviceincluding the "roller 35 and the slitting wheel 43.

Interposed between the sprocket 27 and.

the corresponding film spool 32 is a cleaning device which will now bedescribed. See Figure s l 3, and 9. Disposed immediately abovetitre-sprocket 27a .;ro-tatably mounted on the corresponding -s port 25are two adjac-ently spaced rollers 68 disposed in film feeding alignmentwith this sprocket, and the perforated and slit portion of the filmstrip leads over one and'under the other of these rollers 68 between thesprocket 27 and the corresponding film spool 32, thus disposing oppositefaces or the firm strip outwardly on these rollers. The portion of thecorresponding support 25 adjacent the sprocket 27 forms an air chamber69 and communicating with this air chamber at their inner ends andextending forwardly therefrom in ad-,

jacent parallelism with the rollers 68 are two hollow cylindricalformations 71 the outer ends of which are closed. These formations areprovided with exterior concave surfaces 72 conforming with and lyingclosely adjacent the outer surface of the film strip 3 on the rollers68, and slots 73 are formed in the walls of said formations at saidconcave surfaces and communicate with the interior of these formations,so that, as air is exhausted from the airchamher 69, a suction iscreated at the slots 73 which removes matter loosely adhering to thefilm strip, such as small cuttings resulting from the perforating andslitting operations. It will be observed that both sides of the film aresub- .jected to the said suction by this arrangement. The air chamber 69is provided with an air outlet 74 which is connected to a suitable airexhauster, not shown.

It will be observed that, by simultaneously perforating and slittingprogressively the plural width film strip 3 a comparatively highproduction is attainable, and that, by feeding the strip first throughsaid perforating means and then through the slitting means forprogressive operation alongthe strip simultaneously by said perforatingand slitting means, the control of the strip during the perforationthereof is comparatively simple in that the strip is in one piece as itis fed through the perforating means.

\Vhile I have herein shown and particularly described the preferredembodiment of my inventon I do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction shown as changes may readily bemade withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described myinvention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent thefollowing 1. In a machine of the character described the combinationwith a revoluble roller, of spaced circumferential flanges on saidroller, resilient means yieldably urging one of said. flanges toward theother flange, a revoluble slitting wheel disposed on an axis parallel tothat of the roller and adapted for slitting a strip on 'the rollerbetween said flanges, a

driven revoluble sprocket engageable with perforations in both sectionsof the strip for longitudinally drawing the strip on the roller for theslitting of the strip by said slitting wheel, and a second revolubleroller disposed in parallelism with said first mentioned roller andspaced from said slitting wheel and adapted to engage the strip on saidfirst mentioned roller as it feeds to said first men tioned roller.

2. In a machine of the character described the combination with arevoluble roller, of an arm pivoted on an axis parallel to that of theroller, a slitting wheel rotatably mounted on the intermediate portionof said arm in axial parallelism with said roller for movement with thearm into and out of position for slitting a strip fed on said roller,

an adjustable stop operative upon the outer end of said arm to limitmovement of the arm into said position, spring means operative upon theouter end of said arm for yieldably urging said arm into said position,and manually actuated means for operating said arm away from said stop.

3. In a machine of the character described 7 i the combination with arevoluble roller, of a pivoted arm, a slitting wheel rotatably mountedon said arm for movement therewith into and out of position for slittinga strip fed on said roller, a second pivoted arm, a second revolubleroller mounted on said second arm for pivotal movement therewith saidstep by step and'perforating mechanism and said sprocket. In witnesswhereof I hereunto aifix my signature this 30th day of June, 1927.ALBERT S. HOWELL.

mounted on said arm for movement therewith into and out of position forslitting a strip fed on said roller, a second arm pivotally mounted. onan axis parallel to that of said first mentioned arm,-a secondrevolubleroller mounted on said second arm for movement into and out of positionfor retaining the strip on said first mentioned roller, adjustable meansfor predeterminately positioning said first mentioned arm with theslitting wheel in slitting relation with said first mentioned roller andan adjustable connection between said arms whereby said slitting wheelandsaid second roller are moved into and out of said positions thereoftogether.

5. In a machine of the character described the combination with a frame,cooperating step by step strip feeding and perforating mechanism on saidframe, a horizontally extending arm mounted on said frame, a constantfeed sprocket on said arm, .and means 7 for driving said sprocket withsaid feeding and perforating mechanism, of a slitting device carried bysaid arm and-operative upon a strip between said step by step andperforating mechanism and said sprocket..

6. In a machine of the character described the combination with a frame,cooperating step by step strip feeding and perforating mechanism on saidframe, a horizontally ex- 1 tending hollow arm mounted on said frame, aconstant feed sprocket on the outer end of said arm, and means fordriving said sprocket with said feeding and perforating mechanismincluding a shaft extending within said arm and correspondinglytherewith, of a slitting device carried by said arm and in-' cluding arevoluble roller and cooperating slitting wheel operativeupon a stripbetween

